What you should know if you’re heading to Yosemite

Crowded roads and lots of smoke await you

Share this:

Flames from the Ferguson Fire burn down a hillside in unincorporated Mariposa County Calif., near Yosemite National Park on Sunday, July 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A plane battling the Ferguson Fire passes the setting sun in unincorporated Mariposa County Calif., near Yosemite National Park on Sunday, July 15, 2018. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Sound

The gallery will resume inseconds

A fire transport drives along Highway 140, one of the entrances to Yosemite National Park, on Monday, July 16, 2018, in Mariposa, Calif. The road remains closed as crews battle a deadly wildfire burning near the west end of Yosemite National Park. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

FILE - In this Aug. 26, 2013 file photo, a fire truck drives past burning trees as firefighters continue to battle the Rim Fire near Yosemite National Park, Calif. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says a firefighter has been killed while battling a wildfire near Yosemite National Park. Officials say Heavy Fire Equipment Operator Braden Varney was killed Saturday, July 14, 2018, morning while battling the Ferguson Fire. The fire broke out around 10:30 p.m. Friday night in Mariposa County, near the west end of Yosemite National Park and the Sierra National Forest. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

The Ferguson Fire burns near Yosemite National Park on Sunday, July 15, 2018, as seen from El Portal, Calif. (Carrie Anderson via AP)

Kern County firefighters make their way to the Redbud Lodge to fight the Ferguson Fire along Highway 140 near El Portal in Mariposa County, Calif., on Saturday, July 14, 2018. (Andrew Kuhn /The Merced Sun-Star via AP)

A fire transport drives along Highway 140, one of the entrances to Yosemite National Park, on Monday, July 16, 2018, in Mariposa, Calif. The road remains closed as crews battle a deadly wildfire burning near the west end of Yosemite National Park. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A helicopter gathers water from the Merced River to fight the Ferguson Fire along steep terrain behind the Redbud Lodge near El Portal along Highway 140 in Mariposa County, Calif., on Saturday, July 14, 2018. (Andrew Kuhn /The Merced Sun-Star via AP)

If you’re planning on driving up to Yosemite, here are some things you should know about the Ferguson Fire raging out of control at the national park’s western edge:

Is the park open?

Yes. But if you’re thinking of going up, leave early to avoid the worst congestion. Park officials recommend summertime visitors arrive in the park before or after peak hours, which means before 9 am or after 5 pm.

Are all roads into the park open?

Highway 140, one of the main entry routes into Yosemite Valley, remains closed due to the fire. Travel is prohibited from the small town of Midpines to El Portal Road. Also, travel on 140 is limited to one-way controlled traffic 20 miles east of Mariposa due to slide repairs. This restriction is in effect 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Instead of 140, use highways 120 and 41 to reach Yosemite.

No. But be ready for a crush of visitors clogging the park’s roadways.

What’s the weather look like this week?

You’ll find high temperatures, low humidity and light winds, all factors that have helped spread the Ferguson Fire. Daytime highs will range from 89 to 94, with nighttime temperatures dropping to as low as 66 on some nights. There’s a slight 15-percent chance of rain on Saturday and Sunday.

Where are the fire operations currently taking place?

You probably won’t see any firefighters in the park itself because the Ferguson is burning along the south fork of the Merced River, which is located 21 miles to the west of the valley floor.

What about the smoke?

You will, however, see the fire’s smoke, which has now drifted into Yosemite Valley and is partially obscuring views of iconic sites like Half Dome and Yosemite Falls. Here’s a recent view from the National Park Service’s webcam at Awahnee Meadow in the middle of the valley:

Is the air safe to breathe?

The park’s website warns visitors to expect smoky conditions. “Visitors to Yosemite should expect poor air quality and limited visibility due to the Ferguson Fire. Smoke may be heavy at times, and visitors should be prepared to limit any heavy outdoor activity during the periods of poor air quality.”

Will traffic in and around the park be bad?

Roads into the park and inside the valley are often clogged with bumper-to-bumper traffic, even more so during the summer tourist season. The park’s website puts it this way: “While we welcome you to Yosemite, you should expect traffic congestion, especially in Yosemite Valley and at park entrances. Be prepared for multiple delays, up to two- to three-hours, especially in afternoons and on weekends.”

Is lodging still available inside the park?

Lodging options in Yosemite National Park range from simple tent cabins at the High Sierra Camps to deluxe rooms at The Majestic Yosemite Hotel, formerly The Ahwahnee. You can find out about availability by visiting the Yosemite Hospitality (Aramark) website. As of Tuesday morning, rooms were still available this week at several of the park’s lodges, including the Majestic Yosemite and Big Trees Lodge.

Yes. The Ferguson is only 5 percent contained so far and fire officials are worried about what lies on either side of the fire’s current footprint along the south fork of the Merced River. Those areas contain acres of bark beetle-infested dead forest that could further fuel the blaze if and when it spreads in that direction. Also, weather conditions, along with that haze of gray smoke now blanketing the Valley, have hampered the ability of aircraft to fight the blaze from the air.

Patrick May is an award-winning writer for the Bay Area News Group working with the business desk as a general assignment reporter. Over his 34 years in daily newspapers, he has traveled overseas and around the nation, covering wars and natural disasters, writing both breaking news stories and human-interest features. He has won numerous national and regional writing awards during his years as a reporter, 17 of them spent at the Miami Herald.

Santa Clara County supervisors Tuesday approved $123.1 million in funding for the construction of six new affordable rental housing projects and the rehabilitation of three existing buildings, using money from a $950 million housing bond that county voters passed in 2016.